Government funds green buses

July 6th 2010

The government has announced it intends to invest £15 million into a fleet of 'green' buses.

Currently, such vehicles - which emit around 30 per cent less carbon than their conventional counterparts - only account for around 0.2 per cent of buses on the road.

However, the new funding will see 150 low-carbon buses being added to fleets around the UK, which will reduce CO2 emissions by 50,000 tonnes.

It will be possible for bus companies and councils to bid for a share of the funding, which can then be put toward the cost of adding green vehicles to their fleet.

Making the announcement, Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "We want to support new transport technologies to help make our transport system greener and more sustainable.

"This investment will stimulate the market for low carbon buses by reducing some of the initial costs for operators and councils. It will deliver significant benefits, in particular reducing the impact of road transport on climate change and improving air quality."

The winning bidders will be asked to share information with others in the sector in order to improve green transport in the UK.